HLANGANANI – Mr Stephen Chabalala (21) of Tiyani village will spend the next three months in jail. His assault case was finalised in the Hlanganani magistrate's court last Thursday. The incident to which the case is related took place at Tiyani village in the Hlanganani area last month, October 19 at about 20:30.

The court heard that during the night the incident occurred the complainant and his friend were drinking sorghum beer at a local drinking place. The accused then arrived and requested to join the two. The accused promised the complainant that he would buy another bottle of beer as soon as they finished drinking the complainant's.

The complainant bought another bottle when the first went empty. After finishing the second bottle the complainant requested the accused to buy another one saying it was his turn. Instead of buying beer the accused picked up a stone and hit the complainant on the head.

The complainant ran away and the accused picked another stone and hit him on the arm. The complainant ran straight to the police station where he reported the matter. The accused was arrested two days thereafter. The case was postponed two times before it was finalised last Thursday.

He was not given the option to pay a fine. In the statement issued by the Hlanganani police early this week, the police applauded the initiative taken by the justice system for not granting the culprit an option to pay a fine saying the sentence will serve as a good lesson for people who have no respect for others.